ARMY DEFAULTERS

Otaki Mail, 15 December 1943, Page 4

ARMY DEFAULTERS

AT STRATHMORE CAMP WORK CARRIED OUT AUCKLAND, Dee. 11. The present war lias produced in New Zealand at least 750 military defaulters. This is the number that lias passed through the main defaulters' detention camp at Strathmore, in the high country some 35 miles south of Rotorua, from where many have been drafted to other camps established through New Zealand. Of the total, just over 60 have transferred voluntarily to the -Military Forces and, in ono capacity or another, are said to be giving satisfactory service. Inmates of the Strathmore camp at present number 230. From them work and good behaviour are demanded. Discipline generally is good. In charge of the establishment is Mr. C. L. Christiansen, a returned serviceman of the present war, and assisting him is a staff of some 40 farm overseers and patrolmen, many of whom are returned men of this or the last war. Breaking in of Land The camp is so organised that the inmates do all the work, execept, of course, control and supervision. They provide the labour for the farming and breaking in of some 20,000 acres of land, which is carrying at present 13,000 ewes and 2000 head of cattle. This area comprises tlio Strathmore, Galatae, and I’aero-i blocks. At Galatea, there is a branch camp to which suitable good-conduct men are drafted for shearing, shepherding, and other duties, while on the Paeroa block a bush camp has been set up to which men are sent on week-days to cut and split fencing battens needed for the estates.

All the labour of the inmates is for the benefit of State enterprises. It is never available for any private undertaking. Since the camp was founded the men have constructed 455 chains of now roads and 708 chains of new drains, some large. They have cleared 1283 acres of light to heavy ti-tree, which provides fuel for the cainp, planted 2405 chains of shelter belts, and constructed _ 3107 chains of Dew fencing. In addition, there have been the many tasks of farming, gardening, shepherding and wood-cutting to occupy them. A cer-

tain amount of renovation, including the old homestead, has been done by the carpentering gang. As soon as the Lands Department can provide the timber, these men. who include about 15 tradesmen, are to be employed on the construction of cottages at .Strathmore in preparation for the future settlement of the block. No Pay Allowed

Tradesmen appear to have been found among the men for almost every task. By training new hands, sufficient labour has been created to man the cookhouse, bakery, power plant, tailors’ shop (where the inmates’ camp clothes are made), boot repair shop, a garage which does all’ major repairs to the department’s trucks and tractors, and to provide hospital orderlies as it ell as men for many other odd jobs. The inmates get no pay except a small sum credited under a system of industry and good-conduct marks. Their huts a're regularly inspected and periodically searched. They are. per mitted mail and one parcel of stipulated value each week, and they have a librarv. Viistors may see them for two hours "on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. but the visits must take place in a special room set apart for the purpose, and under supervision. They have an allowance of tobacco. The men occupy individual huts. It is better for discipline. Barbed wire surrounds them and, while they are given a certain amount of freedom in mixing in the compound, control is such that anything in the nature of a general meeting is precluded. A common room with fireplaces is provided. The food is plain and good, and much of it is now produced or killed by the men, though owing to late frosts potatoes have to be grown in another area. Many of the men hate benefited by the life as is shown by their phvsical development, while sickness has not been abnormal. But no visitor would leave with the impression that life has been made easy for these men who find themselves m militarv defaulters’ camps.